Force-reflecting servo-manipulators for remote handling task in a radioactive environment

Mechanical Master-Slave Manipulator (MSM) is a common device for a remote handling of nuclear materials in a radioactive environment such as a hot cell. However, since the master and the slave manipulator are directly connected through a wall, the slave manipulator cannot access all the process operation and maintenance areas. Also, the ratio of the slave to master force reflection is fixed at about 1:1, so the slave can only apply forces within the range of an operator’s capacity. To overcome the deficiencies of the MSM, a servo-manipulator mounted on an overhead bridge is a preferred option. In this paper, we investigated the performance specifications of existing force reflecting servo-manipulators used for a remote handling of process equipment in a radioactive environment.